Feliz Cumpleaños!!! (I got a baby)

March Birthdays!
Gabriel (19), Enel (15), Redando (14), Jenna (24!), Kate (13)
And Nana Rhonda celebrated this month, too!

The last couple weeks have held several big markers for me - the first being my one year anniversary of living in Jimaní (March 23!); the second, my 24th BIRTHDAY (March 27!); and third, A BABY (more on that later).


People often ask what we do for birthdays in a family of close to 50 people. It can sometimes feel a little overwhelming to be sure, but to us, it matters. It matters that the life of each of our children is celebrated. Can you imagine not knowing your birthday and growing up not knowing exactly how old you are, not being rejoiced and delighted in? This is the case for many of our children and so for those who did not know a birth date, we gave them one and celebrate them on that day.

Every month, we have a party to celebrate the birthdays in that month. The kids get dressed up and we take lots of pictures. Typically dinner consists of hotdogs and chips and then we have have cake and soda for a treat. We make a slideshow of pictures taken throughout the previous month and then watch a new movie. (Our next movie will be Frozen and I am SO EXCITED. The kids will love it! ^_^) On the specific dates, birthdays are announced at lunchtime and several kids are given opportunity to say something nice about the person whose birthday it is. For the children who live with us, their door is decorated with streamers, their bed with balloons, and they are given a gift or the opportunity to go shopping. :)

Fiesta night

Yinancia being silly for the camera with Jomaycol.

Sencia and Kimi eating some hotdog with their ketchup ;)

All dressed up with Alicia, SonSon, and Avila

Branli, Gabriel, Lopes, and Herby

March Birthday Cake

That frosting is a little sticky!
Davince

Yohana's 10th Birthday on February 28th.

Tradition of a birthday soaking continues. Lopes and Kristen have the same birthday in January.

Sometimes, EVERYONE gets in on the fun :) Yervison getting Jefri.

Caleb came to me on my birthday and told me to close my eyes and open my hands.
This is what he gave me.

Unfortunately, the poor little bird had a hurt wing and died yesterday. Several of the kids gave her a proper burial.

This year's birthday soak courtesy of Jomaycol :) Actually felt pretty good ^_^

And now for the big news :) 

(If you don't already know from Facebook)

Jesus gave me a baby for my birthday.

Click here for a "before" picture.

Nashda, born October 4th, 2013, came to us on March 26th - 5 1/2 months old, weighing just 8 pounds. She was dehydrated, starving, and had high fever and diarrhea - so weak she could barely move, and she didn't make a sound. Now, only 5 days later, she is alert and smiling, babbling and crying, taking in everything that is around her. This little one has una nueva esperanza - a new hope. She will not only survive, but she will thrive with this big family and a whole lotta big brothers and sisters who will love her like crazy. Thanking Jesus every day for this little miracle.

Please continue to pray that Nashda's health continues to improve and that she grows into a strong little girl who knows the Love of the Lord and flourishes in His and our care. :)

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

    you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
    Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
    I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
    you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
    how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
    all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
    before I’d even lived one day.

{Psalm 139:13-16, MSG}

If you are ever wondering about a way you can help care for our children, consider looking into our sponsorship program. All proceeds from sponsorship go toward caring for all the kids, and so none lacks, but the individual benefit is a relationship you are able to foster with a particular child. We keep you connected with photos and stories and the kids enjoy sending messages back and forth with their sponsors. They love knowing they have special friends caring for them, praying for them and loving them from far away. Click here to learn more and to meet the kids who are still in need of sponsors.